A Mini Review on Bismuth-Based Z-Scheme Photocatalysts

Abstract

Recently, the bismuth-based (Bi-based) Z-scheme photocatalysts have been paid great attention due to their good solar energy utilization capacity, the high separation rate of their photogenerated hole-electron pairs, and strong redox ability. They are considerably more promising materials than single semiconductors for alleviating the energy crisis and environmental deterioration by efficiently utilizing sunlight to motivate various photocatalytic reactions for energy production and pollutant removal. In this review, the traits and recent research progress of Bi-based semiconductors and recent achievements in the synthesis methods of Bi-based direct Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts are explored. The recent photocatalytic applications development of Bi-based Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts in environmental pollutants removal and detection, water splitting, CO2 reduction, and air (NOx) purification are also described concisely. The challenges and future perspective in the studies of Bi-based Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts are discussed and summarized in the conclusion of this mini review.

Nanoscale Assembly of CdS/BiVO4 Hybrids for Coupling Selective Fine Chemical Synthesis and Hydrogen Production under Visible Light

“…A direct Z-scheme heterostructure can be formed between CdS NRs and BiVO 4 NSs motivated by the substantial electrostatic attraction between CdS with a positive charge and BiVO 4 with a negative charge, which can effectively promote the migration and separation of photoexcited electron–hole pairs. 46 As expected, compared with bare CdS and BiVO 4 , the as-prepared CdS/BiVO 4 hybrids display significantly enhanced photoactivity toward visible light-driven splitting of BA into BAD and H 2 . Particularly, the ratios of reduction product (H 2 ) and oxidation products are calculated to be 1:1, approximately, indicating that a visible light-driven alcohol dehydrogenation reaction in a stoichiometric manner is realized in our system.…”

“…In this work, we have successfully constructed a CdS/BiVO 4 1D/2D binary nanocomposite through a facile one-step electrostatic self-assembly method for coproduction of H 2 and BAD under visible light illumination (λ > 420 nm), utilizing photoinduced electrons and holes simultaneously. A direct Z-scheme heterostructure can be formed between CdS NRs and BiVO 4 NSs motivated by the substantial electrostatic attraction between CdS with a positive charge and BiVO 4 with a negative charge, which can effectively promote the migration and separation of photoexcited electron–hole pairs . As expected, compared with bare CdS and BiVO 4 , the as-prepared CdS/BiVO 4 hybrids display significantly enhanced photoactivity toward visible light-driven splitting of BA into BAD and H 2 .…”

Critical roles of Co‐doped g‐C3N4/Bi2WO6 in photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants and treating oil field wastewater in electrocatalysis‐microbial fuel cells

“…Bi 2 WO 6 is a narrow bandgap n‐type semiconductor having a layered structure and exhibits excellent photo‐catalytic activity in visible light. It has been widely used due to its extremely high stability and low synthesis cost and has also been widely used in degrading organic pollutants 2‐5 . Bi 2 WO 6 composited with other semiconductors can better facilitate the separation of photo‐generated carriers and improve photo‐catalytic efficiency 6‐9 .…”

Distinction and Separation of Different Types of Charge Carriers from the Time-Resolved Local Charge Carrier Mapping for Photocatalytic Materials

“…Photocatalytic water splitting is regarded as one of the promising methods to obtain clean hydrogen, and extensive efforts have been made to find new materials, optimize the preparation conditions of materials, find a good combination of co-catalysts, etc. − In practice, photocatalytic materials are deposited on a substrate, by coating and calcining powder materials or by reacting the precursor materials on the substrate. In practical uses, the surfaces of photocatalytic materials have roughness on the order of tens of nanometers at least, domains are formed on the surface, and co-catalysts are distributed inhomogeneously.…”